Pat Shirley has waited 16 years for her son's release

Sixteen years after losing her teenage son to a life behind bars, Mrs Shirley is now ready to welcome a 35-year-old man back into her Leamington Spa home.

Despite the dignified way in which she and husband David have campaigned for their son's freedom, Mrs Shirley cannot hide the anger felt by her son's unjust imprisonment - and says she never doubted his innocence.

"I have always believed him.

"It has made it very difficult, frustrating as well, because you know someone is innocent.

"You just want to go to the prison, grab them and bring them home because you know they haven't done anything wrong."

I am going to meet a man rather than that 18-year-old sailor Pat Shirley

Mrs Shirley was speaking as she watched another of her son's birthdays pass by.

"Birthdays and Christmases are the worst," she admits.

"At Christmas, although we celebrate for our granddaughters, deep down we are putting on a brave face, shall we say, for the rest of the family.

Birmingham Six advice

"But birthdays are hard. It is okay to say you can send him a card or you can send him a postal order, but it isn't the same as saying, 'Happy birthday son, here is your card or your present.'"

Mrs Shirley has sought the advice of family members connected with the freed Birmingham Six, and is concerned about how her son will adjust to life outside prison.

Solicitor Anita Bromley has teamed up with Pat Shirley to get justice

"I am going to meet a man rather than that 18-year-old sailor," says Mrs Shirley.

"We are concerned because he has lost 16 years of his life and I am not sure what he is going to be like."

But she adds: "Hopefully because he is level headed, things will go pretty smoothly."

Mrs Shirley - whose first meal for her son on his return to Leamington Spa will be his favourite double-decker egg sandwich followed by a Mars bar - thanked the people of her hometown for the support she had received over the last 16 years.

"We've managed to keep going all these years thanks to a lot of support from the public, a lot of support from our family and a lot of willpower and love.

"If you've got that you can keep going."

'Support other families'

Now her family's freedom fight is won, Mrs Shirley plans to help other families in similar positions.

"I have always said that when Michael does finally come home that I am not going to give up just like that," she says.

"I am going to support other families because I have learned such a lot over the years.

"I just don't want other people to go through what I have gone through because it does break families up. But I have been very fortunate and I feel that my family's got stronger."